Flying machine



Oct. 7, 1930. vy. RIESELER ET AL FLYING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5. 7:19:27

50 on thesupporting member in such a lratented Oct. 7, 1930 I f UmTED STATES PATENT orrics WALTER BIESELER AND W'ALTERIKREISER, OIYBERLIN-J'OHANNISTHAL, GERMANY,

ASSIGNOBS TO B. BURKE WILFORD, F MEBION, PENNSYLVANIA mama. BEISSUED a Application filed January 8, 1927. Serial No. 159,848, and in'Germany January 28, 1926.

A Our invention relates to aircraft and more particularly to aircraft provided with aerodynamically rotated wings, generically desig- I nated as autogyro.

It is an ob'ect of our invention to provide means whereby the lack of lateral equilibrium normally resulting from the operatic of 1 such wings is obviated. Although it is old to provide aircraft with wings fixed to a vertical axis with the wings arranged radially of the axisin the manner of a windmill wheel, and although such fixed win ed devices can be caused to rotate by aero ynamic action, the aircraft associated with the roequilibrium owing to the differential lift derived from diametrically o posite wings of the sustaining element. uch differential lift causes a tilting moment which in the fixed wing type of gyro, cannot be compensated for except by tilting the entire craft through a suitable angle, which is in general not practical because it would destro the vertical equilibrium. This undeslrable characteristic is incident to the fact that on one side of the aircraft the velocity of 'propulsion of the aircraft is added to the velocity of the rotation of wings, while on the other sideof the aircraft it must be subtracted therefrom and the wings on the two sides are therefore operating under difierent conditions, and therefore have difierent effective lift components.

The creation of such difi'erential lift and the attendant absence of'lateral equilibrium is avoided according to'the present invention by arranging diametrically opposite wings rotate about the verticalam's through reac- 15 tating fixed wings is not in inherent lateralanti-frictional bearings, mounted tion. from the air The wings are mountedf" that this member is arranged withvits axis in front of the center of pressure or center of lift of each wing of a pair. With this arrangement, if the aircraft moves into the wind, aerodynamic action starts the wings rotating about their common substantially vertical axis, and that wing of a pair of wings which has the greater resultant velocity, and also therefore a greater lift, will in consequence of the pressure acting on the center of pressure or center of lift of this wing cause it to swing on the horizontal axis of the supporting'member so as to assume a smaller or a negative angle of incidence whereby its lift will be automatically reduced. Simultaneously the diametrically opposite wing of the pair, being rigidly connected to the wing thus adjusted and having a lower resultant velocity and therefore a smaller component of lift, is thereby swung on the horizontal axis to assume a greater angle of incidence and to elfect a consequentl greater lift whereby the difference in the li s of the fication an aircraft embodying our invention is illustrated diametrically and illustratively. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the rotatable sustaining unit,

Fig. 2 is an end view of the aircraft with the rotatable wings in position therein, the support of one pair of "wings being shown in cross-section, and I Fig. 3 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 2.

Referring to the-drawings, m is the hull, body or fuselage of the craft, 8 is the tightening stretch, a is a bearing on the hull or fuselage, and a is a similar bearing on the tightening stretch, b is a rotatable support shown as a verticalTs'haft arranged for rotation in these bearings. d, d are four bracket arms extending ."from the upper end ofthe shaft 6, and earehorizontal bearings preferably on the free ends of the bracket arms d.- 70. and are :,the two supports for the wings, k being a *shaft, spar, or supporting element through '75 In the drawings formingpart of this speci- 4 two diametrically opposed bearings e and to the rear of the axis ofthe support. Each ing a fusela wing is initially given a small positive angle of incidence. I i

The supporting shaft 71. for the wings F and F which are arranged thereon as described With reference to the other two planes,

is forked in the middle at w, embracing the supporting shaft k with suflicient clearance or play to allow the supporting shaft k to be oscillatably adjusted through a suitable angle in both directions before being stopped by the other support 72. The wings are preferably formed with airfoil cross-section, as usual and may also be designated as hearing planes, planes, blades, or airfoils.

The operation of this arrangement is as follows:

When the aircraft is propelled by its propeller (not shown) or by other means, the wings will be set rotating, by the air, together with their supporting elements about their common vertical axis 6.

During rotation, the wing which moves forward against the wind, with the wings rotating in the direction of the arrow, (the left hand wing F will be imparted a greater llft than the wing F on the other side, which 1s rigidly connected with it and which recodes in the direction of propulsion. The wmg F owing toits centre of lift 72 being disposed to the rear of the axis of ,the supporting shaft, will be oscillatably adjusted to a smaller angle of incidence relative to the direction of fli ht, whereby the wing F being forced to ollow the angular movement of wing F will be simultaneously adjusted so that its angle of incidence is increased. In this manner the differences of lift of two diametrically opposed wings, and danger of the aircraft tilting laterally is substantially avoided.

We wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

We claim I 1. Aircraft of the autogyro t pe comprising a fuselageand'two pairs 0 airfoils, the airfoils of each pair being rigidly connected on axes out of regist with the centerof pressure of the res ctive airfoils each pair being independent y oscillatably adjustable as a unit under aerodynamic action.

2. Aircraft of the auto 0 type compris a free] rotatable substantially vertical sha rotatab y mounted on said fuselage, two-pairs of horizontal bearings on said shaft, an a pair' of rigidly connected airfoils su ported in each longitu 'nal axes out of registry with the center of pressure of the respectiveairfoil's air of bearings on $0518 to equalize the efiective of both airo v for angular adjustment as a unit under aero dynamic action, the connection of one pair of airfoils extending across the line connecting the other pair.

3. Aircraft of the autogyro type comprising a fuselage, a freely rotatable element forming an axis of rotation extending from said fuselage, two pairs of bearings on said element the axial planes of which extend transversel to said element, a pair of shafts, each shaft ein rotatably supported in one of said pairs of earings, a connection on one of said shafts extendin across to and permitting passage ofthe carer shaft, and a pair of wings rigidly mounted on each shaft on opposite sides of the axis about which axis said shafts can rotate bodily under aerodynamic action.

4. Aircraft of the autogyro ty e comprising a fuselage, a freely rotata le element 35 forming an axis of rotation extending from said fuselage, a bracket on said element having a bearing on either side thereof, the axis of said bearings extending transversel with respect to said element, a shaft rotatab y carried in said bearings, and a air of wings rigidly mounted on said sha on opposite sides of the axis about which axis said shaft can rotate bodily under aerodynamic action.

I 5. An airplane sustaining element of the 95 autogyro type including an aerodynamically rotatable sup ort, a pair of arcuateliy spaced blades of air oil section, each exten in substantially radially of the support an pivoted on axes extending substantially longitudinally of and through the respective blades but with the eater area of each blade lying behind the ra ial axis when/the leadin edge is toward the direction of "rotation o the support so that the centre of pressure of each blade is normall out of re 'stry with the pivotal axis of sai blade and hind that axis, and means operatively associated with each blade of the pair whereby the angle of incidence of each blade may be simultane- 11b ously varied by aerod amic action.

6. In aircraft a free y rotatable sustaining element of the autogyro type, a shaft journaled on the element, airfoils rigidly mount-' ed axially of and on the shaft and rotatable n5 bodily with the shaft in a-fixed path with the,

greatest area of each airfoil lying behind the axis of the shaft so that lifting pressure on either blade imposes torque on the shaft, I each blade having initially a slight ositive angle of incidence relative to the pat of rotatlon and being so arranged that the positive angle of incidence'of one airfoilis increased as the shaft res nds to the torque imposed by the other b ado as lifting pres- 1 25 sure moves said other blades to decrease its positive angle of incidence toward a negative angle of incidence under aerodynamic acassociated with each blade whereby the angle of incidence of each blade is simultaneously ried in said bearings, and a pair 0 wings 7. In autogyros, an aerodynamically rotatable support, a pair of arcuately spaced blades of airfoil section each extending radially of the support and pivoted respectively on axes of oscillation extending substantially longitudinally of and through the respective blades but with each'blade so disposed as to cause the center of lift of the blade to be rearwardly oflset from the axis of oscillation of said blade, and means operatively varied by aerodynamic action.

8. An airplane including a fuselage, a rotatable unit, bearin s on the unit, the axis of said bearings exten ing transverselywith respect to the axis of rotation of the unit, a free and unrestrictedly oscillatable s ar carrigidly mounted on said spar on opposite sides of said axis of rotation with the axis of the bearings extending longitudinally of the wings'but out of registry with the respective centers of pressure thereof, whereby under aerodynamic action the win s rotate bodily about the axis of rotation o the unit and oscillate thespar to vary the angles of incidence of the respective wings to equalize the effective lift thereof.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures. v i

' WALTER RIESELER.

'WALTER KREI SER. 

